OC Register: Angels’ blown lead in 9th inning extends nightmarish losing streak to 7 games

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM — Just when it seemed it finally might be the Angels’ night, they continued to sink.

Closer Carlos Estévez blew his second straight save opportunity – after converting his first 23 – in the Angels’ 8-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Monday night.

The Angels took a one-run lead into the ninth before allowing six runs in a nightmarish sequence of bad pitches and bad luck.

The Angels have lost seven in a row, their longest losing streak since their 14-game skid last year.

They handed Estévez a one-run lead in the ninth, and he couldn’t get a single out before it was a one-run deficit.

Estévez gave up a leadoff single to Wilmer Flores. He then walked J.D. Davis. Patrick Bailey then hit a bloop into left field, just beyond the dive of Randal Grichuk. The ball rolled to the warning track as two runs scored.

After an intentional walk and a sacrifice, Estévez gave up a broken-bat single to Mark Mathias to drive in two insurance runs. The Giants added two more on hits against left-hander Aaron Loup.

Up until that point, the Angels had done just enough to have hope for a victory, making the most of two runs handed to them by the Giants’ defensive mistakes.

Center fielder Mickey Moniak then preserved a one-run lead in the eighth by making a leaping catch at the fence, robbing a home run.

The Angels could have given themselves more margin for error, but their offense continues to struggle.

They were hitless in their first eight at-bats with runners in scoring position – extending their slump to 10 for 88 (.114) – before C.J. Cron finally connected with a two-out RBI single to tie the score, 1-1, in the sixth.

Moniak followed with a single into right-center. Outfielder Luis Matos bobbled the ball, prompting Angels third base coach Bill Haselman to wave Cron around. Cron would have been out at the plate, but catcher Patrick Bailey couldn’t hold the ball, so the Angels took a 2-1 lead.

The Giants tied it on a homer from Cal State Fullerton product J.D. Davis in the seventh.

In the bottom of the inning, though, Grichuk hit a liner toward A.J. Pollock in right. Pollock slipped, and then the ball shot over his head as Grichuk cruised into third with a triple.

Luis Rengifo then dumped a single over the drawn-in infield, his second hit of the night, to put the Angels ahead, 3-2.

By the time it was over, starter Patrick Sandoval’s continued improvement was an afterthought.

Sandoval gave up two runs in 6⅔ innings. Over his last five starts, dating to July 5, Sandoval has a 1.65 ERA, which has lowered his season ERA to 3.86.

More to come on this story.

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[Skankhunt42]

I didn't see it, but "bloops" don't roll to the warning track.

[Angel Oracle]

The MINUTE Lopez returns!

Demote Choke Estevez the batting practice pitcher, and make Lopez the closer.

THREE FOUR run innings in TWO weeks!

Disgraceful!!!!

Edited August 8, 2023 by Angel Oracle

[tomsred]

22 minutes ago, Skankhunt42 said:

I didn't see it, but "bloops" don't roll to the warning track.

It wasn't a bloop, kind of a soft line drive and Grichuk was too far towards center field going for a diving catch.  It zipped by him and got to the wall scoring two runs.

[Angel Oracle]

Estevez can only now strike batters out after much damage is done.

[tomsred]

25 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

The MINUTE Lopez returns!

Demote Choke Estevez the batting practice pitcher, and make Lopez the closer.

THREE FOUR run innings in TWO weeks!

Disgraceful!!!!

I don't think Nevin will do this, but he could move him as a setup guy for awhile as I think his confidence may be down and he may be tired.  He has thrown a lot of stressful pitches this year.  Before I would use him again, I would like a multi run lead, not in a one run situation.

Moore has been spectacular, use him as a closer for a bit, at least until Lopez returns.    I would want to see if he can handle closing effectively.  There is nothing to lose at this point.    

[Angel Oracle]

2 minutes ago, tomsred said:

I don't think Nevin will do this, but he could move him as a setup guy for awhile as I think his confidence may be down and he may be tired.  He has thrown a lot of stressful pitches this year.  Before I would use him again, I would like a multi run lead, not in a one run situation.

Moore has been spectacular, use him as a closer for a bit, at least until Lopez returns.    I would want to see if he can handle closing effectively.  There is nothing to lose at this point.    

Thanks, I was meaning to say to demote him out of the closer role.

[ukyah]

if you demote estevez, you'll lose him and maybe the bullpen. the season is over.

[Angel Oracle]

1 minute ago, ukyah said:

if you demote estevez, you'll lose him and maybe the bullpen. the season is over.

So, keep letting him give up leads in the 9th?

Meanwhile, Loup has become Poup again.

Edited August 8, 2023 by Angel Oracle

[ELEVEN]

33 minutes ago, tomsred said:

I don't think Nevin will do this, but he could move him as a setup guy for awhile as I think his confidence may be down and he may be tired.  He has thrown a lot of stressful pitches this year.  Before I would use him again, I would like a multi run lead, not in a one run situation.

Moore has been spectacular, use him as a closer for a bit, at least until Lopez returns.    I would want to see if he can handle closing effectively.  There is nothing to lose at this point.    

I would like for a professional pitching coach to work with him.

Sigh... there's always next year.

Maybe we'll hire one.

[tomsred]

23 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

So, keep letting him give up leads in the 9th?

Meanwhile, Loup has become Poup again.

Loup's a free agent at season end, he won't be coming back.  Moore and Lopez are free agents as well, we want them both to come back.  With regard to Estevez, the next time put him in a non-stressful situation and see how he does.  He's a grownup person, he can understand the logic in that, I don't think it would be permanent.

[tomsred]

5 minutes ago, ELEVEN said:

I would like for a professional pitching coach to work with him.

Sigh... there's always next year.

Maybe we'll hire one.

Like Micky Callaway, lol.

[ELEVEN]

Just now, tomsred said:

Like Micky Callaway, lol.

Get him back and trade for Chapman. 

It's baseball, not choir practice.

[Skankhunt42]

58 minutes ago, tomsred said:

It wasn't a bloop, kind of a soft line drive and Grichuk was too far towards center field going for a diving catch.  It zipped by him and got to the wall scoring two runs.

Exactly was I was thinking. The article didn't want to make Estevez look like he sucks as bad.

[ukyah]

45 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

So, keep letting him give up leads in the 9th?

Meanwhile, Loup has become Poup again.

kind of. if he's not hurt. if his stuff is there, then you really only hurt the ballclub longterm by demoting him after two blown saves when he had just converted all 26 opportunities prior to that, and an all star appearance for you. you'll lose a lot of the players. if they were in contention that would be different, then you could give him the old opportunity to rest and reset speach.

[Jason]

I think they can make this streak longer than last year,  if they try really hard. I know they have it in them 

Edited August 8, 2023 by Jason

[Angelsjunky]

I didn't even realize that there was a game last night.

[Stradling]

I have no idea if Wise is good or not but I do know that if you are going to blame him for Estevez having two blown saves then it would make sense to give him credit for Estevez not blowing a save for the first four months.  The reason I say I don’t know if Wise is good or not is there isn’t some track record of guys leaving and miraculously getting better the last couple of years. Quintana is the only one I can think of off the top of my head that actually improved.  

[Jason]

2 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

I didn't even realize that there was a game last night.

Neither did the Angels 

[Angel Oracle]

2 hours ago, Jason said:

Neither did the Angels Estevez

FIFY